ETSU: “Staging” A Courtroom

From East Tennessee State University:

Caleb Vaughn, one of the stars of the upcoming production “Straight White Men” and an aspiring lawyer, has found many parallels between performing on stage and delivering an argument in court. The topic interests him enough that he’s considering it for his honors thesis.

“The crossover between the courtroom and performing is actually one I’ve given a lot of thought to,” says Vaughn. “How is performing on a stage similar to standing up in front of people in a courtroom presenting cases? The ability to speak to people, persuade people, be comfortable in that setting around people is something that I’m really interested in.”

Vaughn is a Tri-Cities local, a graduate of Sullivan South High School in Kingsport,
and he’s at East Tennessee State University for its fine arts scholarship. The Bert C. Bach Fine and Performing Arts (FPA) Scholars Program is one of the many programs under ETSU’s Honors College, and it focuses on recruiting exceptional students, nurturing their artistic and
intellectual growth, and instilling in them a desire to advance creativity and knowledge
in their field.

“Initially I was going to go out of state to a school,” says Vaughn, “But, very last
minute, I found out about the FPA program here, and I knew that ETSU could offer me
a lot of things as far as balancing my career choices, my love for performing, as
well as all of my great friends that I have here.”

Unlike his decision to come to ETSU, Vaughn knew at a young age that he wanted to
study law. He always had a fascination with the court system and its workings, and
he feels that the set of skills he cultivated in his life will make him a successful
attorney. Vaughn is a political science major with minors in legal studies and theater.

“Straight White Men” will be Vaughn’s first performance at ETSU. He was hesitant to
audition because he had never been through the audition process before, but when he
learned more about the show, its themes, and its intimate cast, he thought such a
show would be a good opportunity for himself. He is also excited to perform at the
Bert C. Bach Theater, ETSU’s new black box theater, as it is an experience unlike any he has had before.

When Vaughn isn’t studying or rehearsing, he likes to play basketball with his friends
in the Center for Physical Activity. Vaughn considers his lifelong friends to be a cornerstone of his life, but he also loves meeting new people on campus through his position with the Preview and Orientation Leader Organization.

“We get together and watch movies, we cook together, have fun together,” says Vaughn.
“We invite people over to our apartment all the time, to hang out and have that community
setting with each other, and it’s great to have all those people and all those support
systems throughout the entire campus.”

This press release was produced by East Tennessee State University. The views expressed are the author's own.